TechnoCentre eolien Wins $4.6M For Renewables Integration Research

The TechnoCentre eolien (TCE), a designated college center for technology transfer affiliated with the Cegep de la Gaspesie et des Iles (CGI), says it has received a significant financial package to support its research program on the intelligent integration of renewable energy and storage technologies in microgrids.

The TCE said this program, which will last from 2016 to 2021, will benefit from financial support in the amount of $4.6 million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and the government of Quebec. Participating businesses will also be helping to finance this program in the context of various research projects.

Besides the TCE and CGI, this program will also involve two other research centers and some 15 businesses throughout Quebec, Ontario and the Yukon.

According to the TCE, one of the biggest energy-related challenges jurisdictions face consists of boosting penetration of renewable energies, such as wind and solar, and lowering fossil fuel consumption while maintaining the reliability of electrical grids.

“The primary objective of this program is to assist businesses in developing new solutions to reduce energy costs and curb greenhouse gases,” said Frederic Cote, general manager of the TCE. “This project is consistent with the priorities set out in Quebec’s energy policy, as well as Canada’s orientations with regard to energy consumption.”

The TCE said this comprehensive program will have direct economic benefits for the industry and college- and university-level education, as a team of top researchers will be made available to participating enterprises, notably to facilitate the training and development of specialized engineers and technicians.

By supporting the development and validation of new technologies in real-world conditions, the project will contribute to increasing the penetration of renewable energies, asserted the company.

“By allowing students at the Cegep de la Gaspesie et des Iles to complete on-the-job internships and offering instructors the opportunity to participate in carrying out projects, the program will reinforce the college’s dynamism in research and innovation. Without a doubt, the program will have positive spinoffs for the college,” noted Yves Galipeau, director-general of the CGI.